PAULO BROCKWAY: CARDIFF DAD DIES SUDDENLY ON ANNIVERSARY HOLIDAY IN CYPRUS

A Cardiff dad has died suddenly while celebrating his anniversary in Cyprus with his fiancée, leaving his family facing the heartbreaking task of bringing him home.

Paulo Brockway, 44, had travelled to the Mediterranean island with his fiancée Kerry Debono for their three-year anniversary.

The couple had been enjoying their holiday and were due to return to the UK when Paulo suddenly became seriously ill.

He was taken to hospital in Cyprus and later died.

His death has left Kerry, his son, mother, sisters and brother devastated.

A HOLIDAY THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE A HAPPY MEMORY

Paulo and Kerry had travelled from Cardiff to Cyprus to celebrate three years together.

According to Kerry, the couple had fallen in love with the island and had even talked about returning there to get married.

During their trip, they placed a lock on a bridge as a symbol of their relationship.

But on the day they were due to fly home, Paulo suddenly became seriously unwell.

BBC Wales reported that he died on September 16, while Kerry’s GoFundMe account states that he passed away the following day, September 17.

Kerry said she was left completely devastated by the sudden loss.

“I am devastated and will miss him terribly.”

A SUDDEN MEDICAL EMERGENCY

According to reports from Paulo’s family, doctors in Cyprus identified pancreatitis after he became seriously ill.

AOL reported that Paulo developed a serious infection and suffered two heart attacks before his death.

Kerry told BBC Wales that doctors explained he had suffered a cardiac arrest following pancreatitis, which she said had previously gone undiagnosed.

His family said he had reportedly sought medical help for stomach pain and extreme tiredness in the months before the holiday, although the seriousness of his condition had not been recognised.

The details have made his death even more difficult for those close to him to understand.

Kerry said Paulo had been thriving and had so much to look forward to.

“HE HAD SO MUCH TO LIVE FOR”

Paulo leaves behind a son, as well as his mother, sisters and brother.

His sister Samantha Brockway described him as a loving father, fiancé, brother and son.

She said his relationship with Kerry had transformed his life and that the family had never seen him so happy.

The couple had been planning to marry the following year.

Samantha said Paulo was especially devoted to his 12-year-old son and loved spending time outdoors.

“He still had so much life left to live,” she said, describing his death as an enormous shock to the family.

HIS LOVE OF MOUNTAIN CLIMBING

Over the final three years of his life, Paulo developed a passion for mountain climbing.

It became much more than a hobby.

He climbed mountains while raising money for charity, using each challenge as an opportunity to help other people.

Kerry said the experience gave him something to look forward to, with Paulo always wanting to reach a bigger and more challenging mountain.

She described climbing as something that brought him enormous happiness.

“It was something he was incredibly passionate about and brought him so much happiness.”

His family now remembers that passion as an important part of the man he was.

FAMILY LEFT TO BRING HIM HOME

Following Paulo’s death, Kerry launched a GoFundMe appeal to help cover the cost of his funeral.

She said Paulo did not have life insurance and that the funeral was expected to cost around £7,000.

His body was due to be repatriated from Cyprus to Cardiff so the family could bring him home and begin making funeral arrangements.

The fundraiser initially sought £3,000.

At the latest available update on the GoFundMe page, it had raised £2,455 from 80 donations.

Kerry thanked everyone who had donated, shared the appeal or simply taken the time to read Paulo’s story.

TRIBUTES FROM THOSE WHO KNEW HIM

Family members have described Paulo as someone who loved his family deeply and had been excited about his future with Kerry.

Emma Mills also paid tribute to the couple’s final holiday together, saying they had been making memories before Paulo suddenly became ill.

The Cardiff-based podcast The Central Club also paid tribute to Paulo following news of his death.

For those closest to him, the suddenness of the loss has been one of the hardest parts to comprehend.

One moment, Paulo and Kerry were celebrating their relationship and talking about their future.

Then everything changed.

“I WILL LOVE AND MISS YOU FOREVER”

Kerry’s fundraiser has become more than an appeal for financial help.

It has also become a place where she can remember the man she planned to marry.

In her final message on the fundraiser, she wrote:

“I will love and miss you forever, Paulo.”

The family is now preparing to say goodbye to a 44-year-old father, fiancé, son and brother whose life ended unexpectedly while he was thousands of miles from home.

The holiday was supposed to be a celebration of three years together.

Instead, it became the final journey Paulo and Kerry would ever take together.

For Kerry and Paulo’s family, the priority now is simply to bring him home to Cardiff and give him the farewell he deserves.